Xuxa em Sonho de Menina () is a 2007 Brazilian fantasy children's film, written by and directed by Rudi Lagemann. It was the first film with the actress Xuxa (Xuxa Meneghel) to be directed by Conspiração Filmes, and was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and Globo Filmes. The film starred Xuxa Meneghel and Letícia Botelho, with the participation of Carlos Casagrande, Alice Borges, Betty Lago, Dirce Migliaccio, and Marcelo Adnet.
In the film, Xuxa plays a teacher, Kika, whose dream is to be an actress. Encouraged by her childhood best friend, Lara, Kika decides to go to Rio de Janeiro for an audition. However, a misunderstanding separates the two friends. Kika, alone in a bus station, finds a group of children who are going on a bus to Rio for an important math test. Kika ends up getting on the bus and the trip is the backdrop to many adventures and discoveries. A spell makes Kika go back to being a child - and she ends up dealing with the children's antics at a roadside hotel.
The film was released on December 21, 2007, in Brazil. It performed poorly at the box office, grossing R$6 million reais with more than 1,814,152 million box offices.Ranking nacional 2008 (por renda). Filmeb. March 17, 2015 Sonho de Menina received negative reviews from critics and audiences.
Plot Kika (Xuxa Meneghel) is a math teacher in a quiet inner-city who cherishes her dream of being an actress. Encouraged by her childhood friend, Lara (Alice Borges), she decides to participate in a casting test in Rio de Janeiro. After losing her wallet and quarreling with Lara, Kika finds herself at the bus station alone and without a penny in her pocket. The young teacher is then approached by a sweet grandmother, Vozinha (Dirce Migliaccio), who kindly invites her to board the Stromboli, a bus that is taking her own granddaughter (Raquel Bonfante) and six other children to do a math test in Rio. Kika becomes friends with the two while waiting for the departure of the bus.
Beginning with a TV report in which Lara and Pandora (Betty Lago) appear, a news reporter is seen asking for information regarding their whereabouts. Frightened, and fearing the police presence at the bus station, Kika accepts a magic cookie offered by Vozinha, the effect of which makes her a child again. So it is that as Kikinha (Letícia Botelho) joins the group of Stromboli.
The pilot Olavo (Luan Assimos), MP9 (Gabriel Lepsch) and Batata (Victor Andrade) are also on the bus, along with the patrons Glorinha (Maria Clara David), Thayane (Gabrielly Nunes) and Vanessa (Isabela Cunha). But the engine pifa and the troupe are forced to spend a night in a roadside hotel - run by the hard-nosed Elói (Marcelo Adnet). It is there where the characters will live out their most entertaining adventures and learn a little more about themselves.
The story unfolds amid positive messages regarding ecological issues, the background of the novel between Kika and the environmentalist Ricardo (Carlos Casagrande). On a symbolic journey that does not always need to tread real roads, Kika learns that, rather than focusing on the destination, one must be aware of the paths one chooses to arrive at it. It is important to believe in the signs that life offers us, so that the true dream of each person can be realized.
Cast
Production
Background and conception Xuxa Meneghel, who is the owner of the highest average audience in the resumption of Brazilian cinema (2.5 million per film) and accumulated box office, created her new feature film Xuxa en Sonho de Menina, the 17th of her career. grossing R$6 million reais. This is the first cinematographic partnership of Xuxa Produções with Conspiração Filmes in the making of feature films (the producer has already signed the DVD Xuxa Só Para Baixinhos 7 (2007). The co-production is from Globo Filmes and Warner Bros. The actress and host already have more than 35 million viewers since 1983, the year of her film debut. In 1988, the host starred in her first feature (Super Xuxa contra Baixo Astral). Its biggest box office is Lua de Cristal (1990): with 5 million viewers. The idea of producing a film with this content came from the very personal experience of Xuxa. When she was 10 years old, Xuxa dreamed of having a bluebird. Although she had heard from her mother that, unfortunately, that was not possible, she did not give up on the dream and continued to believe, until one day, a real bluebird came through her window and became part of the family. The event - a landmark in the life of the host - is used as a starting point for Sonho de Menina, which deals precisely with one of Xuxa's greatest convictions: the importance of believing in dreams for them to come true. Xuxa explained the concept of the film.
The screenplay by Flavio de Souza, responsible for the plot of other films of the hosts, such as Xuxinha e Guto contra os Monstros do Espaço (2005), Xuxa e o Tesouro da Cidade Perdida (2004) and Xuxa Abracadabra (2003). His text came to life through the eyes of director Rudi Lagemann, the "Foguinho", invited by Conspiração Filmes, especially for the project. He explained the concept of the film.
Cast The role of Kikinha, the children's version of the protagonist, was Leticia Botelho, who had already participated in the feature films Ouro Negro (2006) and Fica Comigo Essa Noite (2006), as well as presenting the program Janela Janelinha on TVE Brasil. To accomplish the scenes, Leticia had an intense preparation with the director and Xuxa, who had to observe to capture both the gestural and the way of speaking of the hosts. "Staying with Xuxa, playing with the little rocker and the kids was a lot of fun," says the young eight-year-old actress. I find it harder in the scene where you do not speak, but you have to record the expressions because you can not open your mouth to speak. You have to speak with your face," he continues.
The cast also includes Betty Lago (in the role of Pandora Raquel, a powerful TV producer), Ilana Kaplan (Aunt Memelia, who takes care of the children on the trip), Alice Borges (Lika, Kika's best friend), Sérgio Loroza the driver Jeandro) and Marcelo Adnet (Elói, the hotel's doer). And with special guest appearances by Dirce Migliaccio (the grandmother of one of the girls on the tour), Letícia Spiller (mother of Kika as a child), Milton Gonçalves (director of the school where she works) and Alexandra Richter (a casting producer).
In the children's cast, the film star Maria Clara David, who previously had participated in commercials and TV shows, such as Zorra Total, Sob Nova Direção and Linha Direta, by Globo TV, stand out. She plays Glorinha, a girl who is pressured by her parents to pursue a future that is not exactly what she dreams for herself. "The movie talks about it too. You have to think about whether you're running after the right dream, or if that's not just the dream your father or mother wants for you, "says Xuxa.
Carlos Casagrande lives with Ricardo, the romantic couple of Xuxa, and leads the environmental message of the film. He plays a biologist and environmental secretary for Quimera, a fictional city where people are ecologically conscious and take care of everything not to attack the planet. "Xuxa is a very calm person. It's very nice to work with her" says Casagrande. For the actor, the director Foguinho has a lot of patience and tranquility to deal with children. "His sensitivity is very great. He passes everything he wants from the actor in a very clear way. First, it makes you feel comfortable doing what you have in your head, and then it shapes."
Filming Most of the scenes from "Xuxa en Sonho de Menina" were filmed on location in the capital and the interior of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in only two days. Places known to Cariocas, such as the Glauce Rocha Theater in the center, and the Lage Park, in addition to the Hotel Le Canton in Teresópolis, were redecorated and served as a setting for history. The Jockey Club, located in the South Zone of Rio, was transformed into a bus station and, to look like a small town terminal, only a small part of the central hall in which the betting bag occurs was used. It is at this point in the film that the transition from reality to the dream happens and vice versa. In this way, the space had to be decorated in two different ways, to distinguish both universes. "We created two versions for every road sign, real-world signs were more facetious, square, and dreamy," says Art Director Daniel Flaksman. It was a mansion in Alto da Boa Vista that received the main scenes of the film, to generate the "cartunesca" atmosphere of Hotel Paratodos. "The hotel is the greatest setting in terms of concepts because we had to change the facade, the reception, the dining room, the staircase, the corridors and the rooms," says Flaksman.
Each of the rooms was ornamented with strange objects ordered improbably. The idea was to bring in "visual jokes" so that the environment would indeed look like a dream. "We put a picture upside down, a giant log book... it has a wall with several clocks, the pointers do not walk and each one sets a different time. Why don't they walk? Because time stands still, "he explains. One day after the filming began, director Rudi Lagemann already felt the usual apprehension that precedes the beginning of the production of a feature film. "We are anxious, in a hallucinatory rhythm of preparation, an immense team of artists and technicians rehearsing, designing choreographies, making costumes, constructing scenarios to arrive at this magic hour that is to enter the set, and we can say the blessed word: 'Action!' "Said the director, at the time, noting that filming is, in all its aspects, a moment of great pleasure. "I feel privileged. I love filming, solving typical shooting problems, exchanging ideas, directing actors, and choosing camera angles. It's very enjoyable to get along with good-humored and intelligent people, and the movies provide that."
Preparing the cast during pre-production helped to ensure that everyone was tuned in to shoot the scenes. Xuxa participated actively in the trials. "I really like essays because we exchange ideas with them and consistently build the dramatic tempo of a cinematic narrative. Adults and children rehearsed with Xuxa. These rehearsals were marked by fun and professionalism and all contributed to characterize their characters and give internal rhythm to the scenes" says Foguinho. The Xuxa em Sonho de Menina set was marked by the daily presence of many children. In addition to the children cast, on many occasions, the children of team members were invited to watch the footage. This made the environment a relaxed place, which eventually infected the adults. "We have become a little brat, having fun as they have fun," confirms actor Serjão Loroza. "I really like being in touch with the kids because they bring new energy to the set," adds Dirce Migliaccio. At the time of the scenes, however, the work was taken very seriously. "We used to play every day and rehearsal was messy all the time, but at the time of the scene it was full concentration," says Maria Clara David, who plays Glorinha. After four weeks on the set, he was sure that the work was well done, despite the short time to meet the schedule. For the director, the professionalism of his team and the serenity of Xuxa were determining factors for the good environment of filming. "The great difficulty was the meager time for preparation and filming. The team was able to transform, with creativity and talent, such difficulty in quality differential ", praises. "What could become a tense process has become something pleasurable. And much of this is due to the playful and peaceful spirit of Xuxa", he adds.
Special effects